Hell's Fire Part 2: Persephone's Dreamscape
by Virgin Queen 15
Summary: "Limbo is like Hell," She whispered in his ear. "Only, you don't know who the Devil is." Jareth watched the image of his beloved, Sarah, asleep in Hell fade, fearing that this time he would not awaken to see it again... Where did all my readers go? :
1. Chapter 1 Back to the Beginning

Chapter 1: Back to the Begining

She stirred awake, but did not open her eyes. Jareth waited for her to clear her head as she stumbled from a world of secret dreams to reality. It felt like she'd slept for ages.

"Good morning precious." He whispered and kissed he forehead.

Horror struck him when he recognized what had happened. The creature beside him stirred then as if dust blown by the wind she vanished. Stupid. He had been bloody stupid.

Sarah opened her eyes, but found no joy in the light that brightened the room she was in. He eyes ached, from the haze of muddy redness that you could almost cut with the knife in the air. There was a cool breeze, thought it was smoke filled and stinking that blew in from the three of the floor to ceiling windows. She was in a very soft, silk-sheeted bed with mountains of blankets the color of violets covering her. She watched the gauze-like curtains blow in the breeze and at certain moments they appeared to be ghosts shivering in the wind. She hardly dared move; the tightness of her rigid form sent a quivering over the mattress as she strained to remain still. The air felt like it locked her in place though at any moment if she let down her guard she could tumble through the mattress and into a deeper Hell.

The wall with the huge windows was a semi-circle that built up half the room and the other side was shaped like half a hexagon with doors in ever flat of every bend. She wondered if those doors led to the front hallway with the blue flame and the leg bone stand. But her wonderings she felt wouldn't be answered if she never removed herself from this bed. So she sat up and tried to drag herself free of the tangled sheets. But she found that every time she freed her legs the sheets would grow and trap her ankles again and as she tried to manipulate over them the bed grew wider each step that she dragged on. The entire bed had grown almost a mile and she was caught in the middle, and she started to cry.

_No you idiot! Don't cry, you need to get out of here, you need to get Jareth!_ She raised her head, not even taking a moment to wipe away the salty remains of her anger. She lunged for the edge but the bed grew much too fast though she turned and flipped off the other side before the bed could stop her. She hit the floor with an amazing thump and the bed shrunk back to what she assumed was its normal size.

She heard a laugh, more like a soft purring cackle from somewhere in the shadows of the room, and from the blank space where she could detect no detail the prim little face of Sasha peeked forth. She purred again and smiled. Sarah sighed, not exactly relieved but calm enough to exhale her breath.

"I see you've managed to escape your bed." Sasha said. The cat-girl seemed to be in much better spirits today. Even the condition of her apparel was better, no more run-down servant's dress, no more stains. Sarah thought that as Sasha moved that her limps were like melting butter, vanishing in the folds of her violet smooth gown. Sasha sighed and sat down upon a softly cushioned chair.

"To be very honest miss, you are a bit dumb." She said.

Sarah for a moment had no answer for her. Then she spoke, with a dignified tone. "How have I been dumb?"

Had Sasha had an eyebrow to raise Sarah was certain she would've raised it. But the cat-girl's expression remained as it was: a smile. "You never noticed that your lovely little crystals were missing."

The words were like a smack. The crystals! She could use them…if she had them.

"Did you take them?" Sarah asked.

"Ha!" The laugh made Sarah wince. "Finally." She pulled something out from one of her sleeves which in Sarah's opinion were far too tight and shouldn't fit anything other then arms and tossed it to Sarah. It was her sack, the one she had made out of her shirt to carry the magical tools in. Joy sprang through her like light in a dark room.

"Thank you!" She said to Sasha, but the cat-girl shook her head. Sarah's heart sank; there was a price.

"What can you give me for such a gift?" Sasha said. She was clearly enjoying herself.

"I don't suppose a first born son would do?" Sarah joked, her hands shaking.

Sasha snarled. "As if I would want a screaming mortal child! No, Sarah, there is one thing I want from you, don't look so terrified child it is not very important!" She laughed. Sarah corrected her expression unaware that her poker face had slipped to show her true anxiety.

"What is it?" She asked.

Sasha's huge eyes grew even huger. "You really don't know?" With movements much faster then Sarah could see she sprung from the chair to kneel in front of Sarah, her paw-hands holding down her ankles. She leaned in close; Sarah recoiled and leaned backwards trying to keep the distance with the creature. Until this time Sarah was not paying attention to what she was wearing, but being to close to Sasha whose body radiated feral warmth she was conscious of the thin nightgown. She could feel even Sasha's breath through it.

Sasha enjoyed her discomfort and hissed gently and bizarre laugh that made Sarah turn her face away. The cat-girl leaned in and whispered, her wild hair tickling, her fair whiskers Sarah hadn't noticed before brushing her cheek.

"I desire your magic."

Sarah stiffened. She had no magic to give, what on earth was Sasha thinking?

"But…I have no magic!" Sarah said and was brave enough to push at Sasha's shoulder. The Fae moved back and leaned against the bed.

"Of course you do, darling." She said with a proud smile. "I can smell it."

_But what no one knew…he had given her certain powers._

_Damnit Jareth!_ She thought. Her mind was a tumbling storm of confusion, if she had magic, then she would certainly give it up if it meant she could use the crystals to save Jareth. But at the same time she had no idea what sort of powers Jareth had given her, and they could be of equal help for the situation. She growled quietly, her anger beginning to boil.

"Why do you need it!" She burst, biting her tongue in the process of yelling.

Sasha blinked in surprise then her slow smile crossed her face. Sarah was starting to call her the Cheshire Cat in her mind. "I simply want to regain what was once mine," She said in a voice too pretty to be natural."With your magic I can return to my original form."

Sarah couldn't help but frown. "You…you mean you're not really…?"

"Yes I'm not really a cat!" Sasha hollered. "When I was taken here her royal pain in the _arsh _transformed me. And changed my name for that matter and took the memory of my real one."

"Persephone?" Sarah's words that were meant to follow were swallowed up by Sasha's paw when she collided with Sarah and covered her mouth.

"Don't say he name you idiot!" She screeched. "And yes! She didn't want anyone to know who I really was."

"Why?" Sarah's muffled voice came through, but in the process Sarah got fur in her mouth.

"You tell me!" Sasha sat back again. "It's not like I remember." She crossed her arms over her chest, pouting.

Sarah thought quietly for a moment. Then an idea formed.

"Sasha," She said softly. "I want to help you…"

"I'm listening."

Irvus closed his eyes. Around him, in the Hall of mirrors were visions, many of Hell, many of himself. His memories wandered in a colorful display all around him… past and present merged in his mind as he fell back into those memories…

_ His eyes opened and he smiled, lying against his chest he could see the dark hair on her head, a tousled mess thanks to him. She stirred slightly and moved her head up to face him. She smiled her little pointed teeth on display. He loved those sharp teeth, and the cherry red lips that covered them. Her yellow-green eyes glimmered, the thin pupils widening._

_ "Don't look so cocky," She whispered and tucked a strand of his stray hair behind his ear. _

_ "I can't help it," He laughed. And tickled her. She squealed and jumped away, like a lithe little kitten, the sheets wrapped tight around her slender form._

_ "Hey!" He protested."It's cold, get back here." She turned and grinned slowly._

_ "Catch me!"_

_ He grinned and chased after her, relishing the moments of sheer bliss…_

_ "Letter for you darling, from that child Above." His mother handed him the parchment and he opened it, not worried in the least._

_ He began to read, but noticed it was not in her handwriting:_

Irvus,

We are sad to inform you that Radiance Ashton has been killed in the black flames that overtook her home. We know this to be a great misfortune for you seeing as you were good friends.

_ He stopped reading. In his hand the paper crumbled and he raised his arms to cover his head._

_ "Irvus darling?" Persephone laid a hand on his shoulder._

_ "Get away." He whispered._

_ "Whatever is the matter?" She asked, her grip growing tighter._

_ He did not answer. He vanished, quickly, with no trace save the flittering page of the paper. He appeared at her home. There were piles of broken wood and stone, the white curtains she had favored so much were half black, their forms blowing slightly in the breeze. However the house had managed to stand was beyond comprehension._

_ From his post Irvus did not move. Then he fell to the hard dust covered ground and laid there for many hours, watching the moon crawl across the sky, waiting for the moment the nightmare would end._

He reopened his eyes, and breathed in deeply, then turned form the mirrors and left, leaving behind the pain and the memories.

The palace of darkness was quiet, in a strange reposed slumber one could say when the slipping graceful figure crawled out through a servant's door. It sulked through the gardens, past the frozen statues of great sinners, the granite figurines of three-horned devils and demons. It passed through Hell like a soft shadow, untouched by the tormented souls, unfazed by their wretched cries. When all at a breath-taking instant the figure tumbled head long from the mouth of the land of agony into the field of dreams the sounds of Hell all silenced as the curse of Persephone's jealousy fell and the figure was transformed into that which they had originally been.

Only one solitary prisoner had watched the small figure leave, one crying angel among the devils. Sarah could only pray Sasha could reach Jareth in time. In time for what, she couldn't say, but an unceasing feeling of dread crawled through her veins, something she could not name was going to happen. Something inevitably irreversible.

I am sorry at how short this one is, while I write a few more chapters I encourage you to read 'The Emerald Queen' it is in need of some reviews. Thanks a million for all your reviews on this one and I'm up to any ideas anyone wants to include.


	2. Chapter 2 Nothing tralala

Chapter 2: Nothing tralala

Jareth felt something pull at him, like his body was being jerked slowly across a plane made of rock. He opened his eyes, unaware he had even closed them and he could see the back of a small child, clutching his hand and dragging him toward what look to be a drop. Around him he could see he was indeed on a rock flat, with a huge drop off not three spaces away form where the child now was. It was a little girl, he could see, with long tousled curls near the darkness of Sarah's hair and a little pink dress with a strawberry print. She was unearthly strong for a child, able to drag him a good foot or so with each step she took. He wrenched his hand from her hold, an idea that at the time he considered good, for they were getting quite near the edge and it was not oblivious to him that the girl had the idea of throwing him off the side. But she stopped dead in her tracks when he dislodged his hand and turned with eerie stealth and grace and looked down at him with a terrifying face.

Jareth jumped and tried to crawl away from her. It was not the expression that scared him, it was the face itself. Her skin was chalky, a striking contradiction to her dark hair, and her eyes were gaping hole in her head. Her mouth was open, her lips a deep cherry red, covered in little bite-like scabs. The scabs he was sure were from her fangs, three times shaper and more deadly then his own. She squealed angrily and held out her hand to him with a fierce exaggerated shake, like a parent demanding their child to let them control them. Instead of heeding to the monster-child's demand, he stood, and before her stretched out into his tall form, his looming structure shadowing the child from the grey streams of light, too silver to be sunshine that peeked through the clouds. She did not move in response, but a dark, fanged smile crossed her face and he frowned as she held out her hand one final time.

Her nails, which had previously gone beyond his notice, had grown, long and sharp, like little talons and they curled inward. A handshake like that would scar you for life. Is first urge was to kick the child, but he refrained seeing as they were so close to the edge. Considering the cliff he stood near he looked over the brim to find only fog and mist, no indication of how far a jump would be. The child noticed his caution and the smile grew wider until he was sure it could spread no more. She turned from him then and tipping her face back to smile once more she danced across the edge of the cliff and vanished into oblivion.

Jareth swore and dived forward; trying the grasp the child's wild curls before they slipped away into the fog. But he found then that his fingers grazed the ground and he blew some air into the fog below him and saw the ground plain as day not a foot below the edge. Without thinking he stood and aimed to step down onto the earth but was swallowed into the mist where he dived feet first into the nothingness the child had fallen down.

Around him in the silvery air he began to see shapes form, figures of people, young and old, tall and short, ugly and beautiful, all twinkling slightly as if made of dust. Some reached toward him, others faded away from him, faces turned. Some even whispered in the rush of the wind in his ears. Some sang with the wind itself.

Lost in these faces and sounds he hardly noticed the figure of the child hanging in suspended falling, hair untouched by the wind, eyes suddenly full of bright blue iris's. She was watching him curiously, the odd somber expression on her frightening face diminished, replaced by a common wise gaze that was shared with many high Fae. Though she was no Fae in the least.

Finally, his notice came to the child and her smile grew again this time with no fangs, no talon nails and a very clear stare with a soul. He cocked his head and squinted, knowing that more of her had changed then what he could plainly see. In return she mirrored his expression and smiled. The smile said what his mind could not piece together; her expression and even body language and maybe her body also was motherly. The form of her eyes was round and wide, but lazily half closed to give off an almost sweet romantic look. Her smile, with it's straight row of clean teeth was slightly imperfect, but had a loving nature. Her body had evidently grown taller as well, rounder with supple hips. She appeared then to be more of an adolescent then a child, growing into a woman.

Unconsciously, he reached out for her and she reached for him and took his hand and his falling slowed until he was hanging just over a rushing river of violet water. She floated, taking steps in the air and tugged him gently along.

When she spoke, his ears did not seem to receive the sound, the air around him seemed full of its meaning and the world around them echoed with it.

"You are not meant to be here, Goblin King," She said. "Nor is your precious meant to be in Hell."

"Where am I exactly?" He asked.

"Some people call this place the world in between, others may name it Limbo, but in short it is my home." She turned to face him. "Here souls may find their will's to be tested, their heart tried and their minds strung out before them in all their own mystery."

Most of what she said only confused Jareth further, but he nodded to indicate he was listening.

"Now," She continued. "I cannot help you leave this place; the one who trapped you here has a power beyond my own. However, I may assist you in finding the one who is searching for you."

"Sarah?" He asked eagerly. "Has she escaped?"

The woman's face softened in apology. "No, king, but another has snuck from Hell to retrieve you for her. One who also has been cursed by Hell."

"Who?" He asked, but she only smiled. "Who?" He demanded again and this time she was gone and he was left in the air, held by an unmovable force, only the echoes of his cries there to answer him.

Sasha peeked over the grass It was tall grass, smelling like spring and sunshine, but it was also her hiding place as she crouched not a foot from the door to Limbo. It had not taken her long to find it, just ask the angel who lives by the gates of heaven and you're there. She ruffled her fur and ran a clawed hand through her hair, her lovely hair that had reappeared when she had left Hell. It was long and soft and very blonde, a crisp moonbeam. She loved to play with it, to braid it and run its ends across her nose. She had not remembered she'd even had a beautiful head of hair until then. Every smell in the world above was sweet and fresh, every word was soft and kind, nothing was sharp or hot, nothing too sharp or hot anyway. It seemed that everything there was kind and gentle. She had been in Hell for too many years.

She felt a tickle in her mind, some traces of stolen memory coming back to life in her for a brief moment. She was looking for something…wasn't she?

"Jareth," She said firmly to herself. "For Sarah, you were looking for Jareth." _That's not it._ She frowned deeply and thumbed the slight bridge of her nose in frustration. She would need to figure out what she was really looking for later.

She had tied the crystals around her waist, each in a small sack bound tightly to her belt. If one hadn't been standing very near her the crystals would almost be invisible against her waist-line, something that came to a great advantage. Now, laying in the grass, twirling her hair and concentrating on the door she focused all her attention.

The door was not really a door; it was instead an arch between tree branches, one that had you not been paying much mind to would look like any ordinary pair of trees. But when taken to mind and sincerely considered it became apparent quite quickly that the bend of the trees was just so and the vines and ivy hanging from the branches were twisted to exaggerate the entrance. Sasha waited a moment before moving again, the cat side of her insisting that this was a bad idea, wholly unnatural and without a purpose that was concerning her. The other side of her said, plainly and very loud with a rich command: _go in there now!_ And go in she did.

Passing through the door was the definition of passing through worlds. She had heard of teleportation, transportation of the mental kind, body switching and world hopping, but this was a different and separate form of motion where her spirit seemed to gain control over her body and she moved like a ghost into a world opposite the world she had started from. The grand secret gardens where the arch was ad been lush, full of color and life, but the world she stepped into was plain, grey and ever-changing in such subtle ways that you didn't notice until that change was complete and where you had been no longer was and where you were was stranger then before.

Her first step was tentative and quick, the sky above her was a constant stream of flowing clouds the colors of silver and grey, the shadows from unseen figures and obstacles the only hint that she may bump into something. The ground was made of rock, but it was not a hard rock, but it appeared to be molten lava, hardened by the cool air, smooth by the fierce wind that polished it. There were no little rock pebble or shards about, only smooth sheer space to walk, but nowhere to get to. Sasha turned to look back at the arch when she was a few yards away, thinking to use it as a vantage pint for how far she'd traveled when she realized it had vanished. Sighing angrily and letting a growl scramble out into the silent unbearable sound around her she pressed further, hoping that she was getting farther, knowing it appeared she had not taken a single step.

She talked aloud to keep herself from going batty, useless small talk with the wind, shapeless gab with the stone ground beneath her. It was enough to drive any intelligent person off their rocker. Sasha knew if she did not come across something soon, she could very end up screaming. Screaming would not do her much good though, she remembered. Only one hope could be of use, the crystals she carried. Yet she had no guarantee they could get her out of here, if here was there or three steps back was here and she hadn't moved at all, and she had no guarantee she would have a safe place to go to if she did get out of here/there/wherever. In life, she supposed, there was no guarantee of anything. She laughed to herself. Well, this isn't exactly _life _is it? It's Limbo. And it is nothing.

Jareth opened his eyes, realizing that he had fallen asleep, again. Grumbling he sat up and jumped. The child, no the woman was sitting ext to him. She had grown again; much lovelier with each phase of growth and by now she was fully mature, smiling and playing with the ends of her long dark hair.

"Good morning," She said. "I trust you slept well?"

In all honesty, he did not feel he had slept at all. But he answered. "Indubitably well."

She smiled again and stood, smoothing out her dress with the strawberry print, the strawberries having begun to take on the looks of roses, the pale pink of the base color deepening only slightly.

"Ready to jump," She gestured to the edge. He hadn't realize that he was back where he had been the first time, lying near the edge of the cliff with nothing and nowhere to say or go. He sighed and looked up at her.

"That didn't exactly work the first time." He said.

She was unfazed by his sarcasm but he thought he saw a muscle near her left eye twitch, as if greatly annoyed by what he'd said making her body had stiffen.

"Maybe you'll learn something this time." She held out her hand. No talons were present.

"What have I left to learn?" He snapped and turned from her. His anger, unbeknownst to him until that moment of defiance had kindled deep inside him. He was not going to jump.

"Nothing tra la la," She answered. "Or everything."

He just ignored her, though his mind jumped to Sarah at the mention of his favorite words. He waited for her to jump so he could be left by his lonesome, but she did not move.

"Don't make me force you." She said. He looked up at her and gave her no indication that he would obey.

Her movements next were so fast and so agile he did not have a moment to react and the next thing he knew he was falling, down and down in the silver shaft again only this time she did not fall with him and when he reached the violet river and saw it's rushing rapids all within a matter of a second he knew that she was angry with him.

Before his feet could meet the water, sleep swallowed him once again and he loitered in slumber-land, hoping that when he woke up he would not be at that stupid cliff again.

When he did wake again, and saw what was around him he cussed so bad that she didn't even wait for him to take her hand. She tossed him over the edge once more and down he fell, swearing as loud as his voice could stand.

It continued like that, for a very long period of time and he did not budge from his stubbornness. He was sure that at one point she would give up on him and the point she was trying to make and vanish away with the headache the sounds and pressure of the winds had given him.

When after a fall that nearly knocked the breath from him he reached to take her hand upon awakening she smiled and did not jump or throw him off the edge. Almost out of new forced nature he very nearly walked right off the edge of the cliff but stopped himself and turned to her. She was smiling so brightly and her dress had clearly changed from strawberries to roses.

"You have learned." She said. "You may see her now."

"What?" But he need not have asked, for before him had formed in the place of the vanishing woman a mirror, very large with odd angles and no frame and from the shadows of the reflection he saw Sarah. His heart leapt and his eyes widened and he almost tried to walk through the glass to her.

Then he only watched, gloved hands pressed against the glass, as she slept, spread across a bed of red and white, looking small and pale. But he would take what he could, watch his loved one when he was granted it by the strange teacher here and hope that he could someday get out of this place and reach her again. Hope it seemed in his case did not have wings.

Maybe it had whiskers.

I don't usually make demands my goblins, but can we please see some reviews? This poor story is getting lonely. Lots of love, Virgin Queen. 3


	3. Chapter 3 Walking Away

Chapter 3: Walking Away

Sarah slept. She never left her room for any reason. Irvus was an infrequent visitor, she had seen next to nothing of him since the dungeon. Without Sasha, even with the new maid who never so much as spoke a word, her little bedroom had become very lonely. Lonely and filled with her worry. She was constantly biting the skin of her cuticles, twisting her hair against her fingers or humming, trying to distract herself from thoughts that would worry her worse.

Above all things she refused to eat. She had heard the legends, knew the rules by now that eating in the Underground or Hell would trap you there forever. Though the result of her fasting was not a good one and a long time passed and she began to grow very weak. The skin of her cheeks began to sink in a little, any baby fat left on her body, or even the fat from too much strawberry ice-cream wasted away. Her chest and stomach were at a constant misery, aching and searing her inside. Sleep was her only escape from the pain of it all and she slept for days on end.

On one day she awoke to find her silent serving maid in the room, an expectant look on her face as if she was waiting for her to wake.

"What do you want?" Sarah said, tension rode her words and she sounded more then upset.

"Forgive me, my lady, the Lady Persephone wishes to see you in her garden within the hour." She answered softly.

"Oh," Sarah answered. Then, on wobbly feet she stood and walked to her bathroom. Bathing in Hell was much like Aboveground; they had taps and plumbing so a shower was quick and easy. Her maid braided her hair and twisted it up in some odd fashion and wove a circlet of gold chain through her hair. Next she took out a lovely dress. It was a corset and skirt in Sarah's eyes, hardly clothes at all it was so low in the front. But she allowed the maid to pull the corset over her and tie the laces an ordeal that caused Sarah more shame then she knew it would.

"My Lady, forgive me, but this corset is far too large for you." Her maid whispered. "I thought Irvus had told me these were set to fit you exactly." Even with her soft voice the maid seemed annoyed. Sarah didn't react to the words. She could only pray that if she died here Jareth would forgive her.

Sasha had fallen asleep and woke in a much different place which didn't really surprise her. What did though were the crowds of little orange things all around her. At first glance they looked like little carrots, but when Sasha rubbed her eyes and saw clearly she found they were not carrots but a bunch of little orange men. They weren't taller then her thumb, no wider then her little finger and all were orange save a very tiny one who had skin the color of a pale blueberry. She looked around her, estimating how many there were and trying to decide between one of two options. The first was run, the second being to gather handfuls of the little buggers in her fists and chuck them as far as she could. However seeing as the latter option would probably call for the first option to be acted upon she decided that neither of these choices would please the situation. Upon realizing this she gave way to chivalry.

"Hello." She said.

The little men jumped and turned to each other in confusion, mumbling in voices too low and too fast for her to understand.

"What?" She asked.

One brave little man stepped forward, but when she tried to smile kindly to him he squealed and jumped back into the crowd. "Oh," She realized too late her fangs would probably terrify them and she covered her mouth.

"Greebo!" The scared man hollered. His companions echoed his cries and quivered all eyes wide as they stared at Sasha.

"Greebo?" She asked, and then understood. 'Greebo' must have been their equivalent to the word for 'cat.'

She rolled her eyes in frustration. "No, you silly things, I am not a cat!"

"Greebo!" Was the anonymous answer she received.

"No!" She screamed. She felt something poking about under her skirt. She lifted it and squealed angrily. "Don't touch that!" The little blue man, shaped more like a child than a man had his little hands bound tightly around her long furry tail. It was the only thing she was truly ashamed of and kept it concealed at all times.

"Greebo!" He cheered victoriously and yanked hard on her tail. She screamed and swatted at him. He flew far through the air, still clutching tufts of fur and howling quite happily until he landed among the group of orange and vanished for a few moments.

Sasha stood, shaking off her skirt and turning to walk away from the little creatures when she was abruptly stopped. There was nowhere to go, she realized, there was a circle of ground where she and the men stood and ten the ground ended and around her lay vast mist and emptiness.

Swearing, she dropped to her knees so as to stick her head under the flat she sat on, but she found no support below that could hold up the flat rock. It merely floated.

"Greebo?" She turned to face the men.

"What?" She snapped.

"Gob kin weet." The blue man said.

"What?"

The man pointed. "Weet." He repeated.

"Weet…?" She thought for a moment silently. "Oh west?" She pointed where the little man did.

He nodded then said slowly. "Gob kin weet."

"Gob kin… gobble king… Goblin King!" Sasha smiled. "The Goblin King is in the west!" She stood up, excitement running through her but then her spirits fell again. "How do I get there?" She mumbled and sat down again.

She didn't even bother to swat at the fools who started to play with her tail she was so frustrated.

"Greebo?" The little blue man crawled up her leg and sat on her knee. He had twisted the fur he'd plucked from her tail into a little crown which he wore around his small head.

"Not now." She said. But the little thing was persistent.

"Greebo!" He snapped, much louder then Sasha thought a creature so small could and she looked up at him. He gestured west and spoke excitedly. "Meese weet eb Gob kin. Meese orwin beasta!"

"Slow down please!" Sasha exclaimed. "I don't understand you." She placed the tip of her pinky finger over his mouth to silence him.

Upon removing her finger he laughed, a tiny ear-splitting peal of joy and continued in a much steadier pace. "Meese tog weet."

"Meese?" Sasha asked.

The little man spread his arms as if to hug her and repeated the word.

Sasha pointed to herself and asked. "Meese?"

But he shook his head. Changing tactics he pointed his finger at the mingling group of orange men and then at himself and lastly her. "Meese."

"Oh, we." Sasha realized. "Meese." She nodded and he smiled.

"Tog?' She asked and walked a pair of her fingers over her palm. _Go?_

He nodded.

_ We go west._

She sighed in relief. At least she was moving toward Jareth. She did wonder thought if he was facing little men like these, or if his Limbo was a completely different sort of place. She was left only to wonder as the rock moved through the mist, a movement she could only feel if she concentrated while the little men gabbed among each other.

The maid eventually managed to lace the corset so tightly that it stayed on Sarah's thinning form, regardless of her many laces and folded material she used the maid had to let her part with a very baggy skirt and corset. Sarah walked through the lonely halls of the palace, ignoring the statues and paintings of the most grotesque nature as she passed them, not daring to look at them with a clear eye. She found the gardens easily and stepped out onto a path canopied by rose bushes that wilted in the red sun. Her eyes stung at the sight, the thorns were gold, painted so or otherwise and they lit the path, casting beams and creating shadows that seemed to move. Her bare feet against the stone path burned a little, not past extreme discomfort but it was enough to keep her speed quick. The path broke into a garden shaped like a circle, with four open paths surrounded by different flowered canopies. To the left of each path stood a statue of a Fae monarch. She recognized them from Jareth's descriptions, the High King Tiran, his father, the Queen of the Waters Regina, the Prince of the Blood Deserts Thaybin and then the fourth statue, the King of the Goblins. She moved to that statue first and felt the sting of tears in her eyes.

Jareth's image was not nearly as vibrant as he was and in the shining gloom of the dark red sun it was not nearly as kind. His face was all angles and shadows, but it was still his face. The stone the image had been carved in had been black, one she could not distinguish by name though it had a glitter to it. Or maybe it glittered because it was Jareth. He was wearing is cape and armor, his hair still a messy halo of tangles and his right hand held a crystal. Not just the carved sphere of a crystal but a real crystal. Sarah frowned, and turned to look around. No one was near as far as she could tell. She climbed up onto the statue's mantel and reached along his outstretched arm to grasp the crystal. It came from his fingers instantly and Sarah was so overjoyed by the success that she let out a soft cry of delight. She hesitated in jumping down form the statue. She let the crystal fall into the pocket of her skirt and then leaned up to kiss the statue's cold cheek. She felt another tingle of joy; the statue was cold. She did not remember the sensation of cold, it was shocking and wonderful, a memory she knew felt distant, but was natural.

"I miss you Jareth." She whispered and stepped down to stand before his image. "More then I could say."

She stood watching the statue for what felt like seconds when she heard the soft fall of shoes coming from one of the four paths. She stepped back to the center of the circle and waited.

From the path to the left of Jareth's Persephone came forward. Sarah's heart beat rapidly, but her expression remained a cool mask of indifference, a poker face she had picked up from Jareth. The Queen of Hell wore a black gown, one that parted at her belly button and covered her breasts in two strips of dark material. The skirt was long but with multiple kicks that almost completely destroyed the use of the skirt itself. It was a lovely gown, but Sarah found herself more attracted to looking straight at the woman's face, rather then glower at her gown. But Persephone's face was of a much similar distaste to look at and Sarah could not keep eye contact with the woman for more then a few seconds. The grey eyes were violent as thunder storms.

Sarah gave an awkward curtsey, trying very hard not to shake, knowing very well Persephone would see her struggle.

"My dear," She spoke. "You need not have troubled you, any of the four paths you would've taken would've brought you to me."

Sarah played stupid. "Oh," She said. "I did not know."

Persephone held out a bony hand. "Come my dear, let us speak of things to come. Your wedding shall be within a few weeks, I know you must be anxious to plan it."

"Wedding?" Sarah asked as the Queen drew her into a tight hold.

"To Irvus," A very matter-of-fact answer that made Sarah's stomach tighten in anger. The ring she wore on her left hand was not from Irvus and she would not marry him. Ever.

"What gave you that idea, my lady?" Sarah asked.

"What gives you any idea that I would ever be wrong?" The Queen's voice was cold.

Sarah stiffened and he steps down the path became rigid. Her stomach ached and let out a rumble that Persephone could hear.

"My dear!" The Queen drew Sarah in front of her. "You have not been eating have you? Oh my sweet, you must have some nourishment, least you starve, poor dear. Come with me we'll fetch you some food and wine." She tried to drag Sarah further up the path but Sarah protested.

"No, I am not hungry." She said and tried to disentangle her arms from Persephone's clutches. The Queen's nails dug into her skin and Sarah cried out and tried to wrench herself free.

She stomped her foot down hard on the Queen's foot, and the woman screamed and Sarah ripped herself free, ignoring the sound of shredding skin and the searing pain that filled her. She ran back up the path, gasping and near tears. She left a trail of blood as she went, there was almost no skin on her arms. She reached the circle of statues, and cried out in anger to find the path she had taken here was not to be found, only the four paths remained.

"Damn." She said.

From somewhere nearby the Queen let out a murderous shriek. Sarah panicked and almost ran down a path, but remembered suddenly what Persephone had said _any path you take will lead you to_ _me._ So she had to no take a path. But she couldn't stay in one place, she would surly be found. She looked around and saw what was left. She would have to run through the rose bushes.

She sucked in a deep breath that tasted of ash and sulfur and dove toward the bushes. Around her body the vines and thorny stems snapped and broke as she fought her way through them. The dried petals of the roses themselves cut at her face, they were sharper then what she had imagined. She gasped and charged forward, sure that her dress would be less then scraps of what it had been. She stumbled and tripped and eventually crashed through to freedom.

About ready to step forward she let out a cry and stumbled back. The bushes of roses had led her to the edge of a cliff and below her lay the crashing waves of a black sea. She could see glints of bones, pale forms of the swimming dead. She could hear their cries. She drew he knees up to her chest and sat, her arms dripping fresh blood, her hair a tangled free mess.

From far away came to howls of the angry queen and the sound shocked Sarah out of her misery. She tore what was left of the skirt and tied the fabric around her arms. Now all that was left of her outfit was the corset and a thin set of choppy underskirts. It was enough. She searched for a way down, or at least a path that could lead her to a way through Hell, but she found only a rope that hung down into the sea. She could slide down the rope into death if she wanted. But she had no desire to die.

They she remembered the crystal, the pocket it lay in had remained in tact, the last bit of the skirt that remained. She tore it out of the pocket and held it, glittering in her hand. She had to use it smartly. A way where she could get out of Hell and reach Underground. She had to think.

Exhaustion suddenly swept over her like wind and she fell to the ground, wondering if she could chance the sleep she needed. The Queen, she sensed would not find her here in this backyard hiding spot. So she let herself fall asleep, curled up just under the shadow of the rose bushes, her body shaking.

Jareth opened his eyes. The mirror was gone and he felt the fear rise in him as he saw that the woman was not alone. A boy, not four feet tall stood with her. He had no eyes, pale sin and talon fingers. Jareth knew without needing to ask that he needed to take the boy's outstretched hand. Upon grasping it the boy dragged him upward and shot into the air. The boy could fly. The sky around them opened up and Jareth was plunged into darkness. He could feel the boy's hand in his grow then, larger and larger into the hand of a man and then he let go of Jareth and the king fell back down into the sky and down again until he hit the ground.

The woman was looking down at him and soon the boy, who was now a man floated back down from the sky and landed near her and put an arm around her waist.

"It seems trust is something he gives willingly." The man's voice was like sand and glue. He had dark brown eyes and brown-blonde hair.

"Yes, but his patience and sacrifice took quite a while." The woman said.

"He is a monarch, what more can we expect?" The man said.

"I suppose you're right." She said. Jareth was not sure to be insulted by that or just ignore it.

"Then we can free him now?" The man asked eagerly.

The woman sighed, and shook her head. "We've one last thing to teach him." She said. "The hardest lesson of all."

"Oh," The man sighed sadly.

The woman leaned down to whisper in Jareth ear. "Limbo," She said. "Is like Hell, only you don't know who the Devil is." The image of Sarah appeared in the mirror which appeared to his left. He turned to it, fearing it may be the last time he would ever see it. It tore his heart in two, she was hurt and bleeding, asleep on the dirt ground. This image however gave him hope that she was trying to fight, trying to escape. He let his eyes, heavy as they were with sleep linger on her shape long, knowing that this may be the last time he would see her for a long time.

He fell asleep once again.

Sarah opened her eyes. Around her was a heavy darkness. At first she was horrified to think that Irvus had stolen her back and dumped her down into the darkest of dungeons. But as her eyes adjusted to the light she saw the black waters below, heard the cries from the dad and saw the rose bushes and the small stretch of land she had to walk upon. Awake and aware she suddenly knew what to use the crystal for; a shape-transformation. She breathed in deeply; knowing time was of the essence and smashed the crystal in one quick blow.

She didn't think anything had changed at first then she stretched her arms to find they were feathered and shorter then they had been. She would've smiled if she could. She was a barn owl, but not just a barn owl; she was pure white, an albino by the looks of it. But it was perfect, she could fly now and fly she did, with a speed and grace that suggested she had been flying her entire life. It was natural, and felt right. She flew across the ocean, she could see everything now, with her pristine night vision and she was miles form the castle in the blink of an eye. Things were looking brighter.


	4. Chapter 4 No Love Injection

Chapter 4: No love injection

Sarah had been flying for hours through Hell, but it wasn't until she reached the gates that her magic dispersed and her human form returned. She collapsed near the iron portals and huddled up under the shadow of a dying bush where the rising sun could not scald her. Eventually she pulled herself up, gasping and moved with heavy feet toward the gates. But a sound stopped her progress. It was a suppressed laugh, one that she recognized.

Turning, her hands shaking she saw Irvus, arms crossed over his broad chest, an eyebrow raised and a very dark glimmer in his eyes.

"H-how long have you been following me?" She stifled a cry of horror when he took a step toward her.

"Long enough," He said, but his voice was softer then she had ever heard it. It was gentle and sad and echoing with emptiness. She frowned slightly.

"Why didn't you take me back?"

"I wanted to see how far you would make it."

"Liar."

"I'm the king of Hell aren't I?"

Sarah let out an exhausted hysterical laugh. Then she dropped to her knees and waited.

Irvus however did not move to take her, he merely stood watching her. After a while where her nerves were ready to shatter from unanswered anticipation Sarah stood again and glared at the man.

"Why don't you take me back then?" She asked. "You found me, so throw me in your dungeons again."

Irvus cocked his head to the side. "You want to go to my dungeons?" He asked.

"No," Sarah said with a spitefulness she couldn't control. "But I expect that you will just throw me there anyway."

"I don't think I can do that Sarah." He said.

She looked up at him, the question in her eyes.

"I'm letting you go."

Sasha had had enough. The little men plucked every piece of fur from her body and braided them into little crowns. The tugged on her tail, her whiskers and played with her cat ears. She could only take so many cries of _Greebo_ and _weet weet weet_ before she was ready to fling the little men from their floating rock. She sang to distract herself and they would at most songs stop to listen or even start to dance. When all at once she ran out of songs she talked, about anything to fill the silence. Then for long stretches of time she slept. She decided after a day had passed that Hell was Heaven compared to this insane Limbo.

Jareth woke, _again_. The man and woman were there, watching him with kind eyes. Waking hurt. He did not understand why, but his limbs wee aching and numb, difficult to move. He let his eyes open, a pained action, like all other movements but once his eyes were open he understood the perpetual agony. This was the final trial the odd couple had mentioned, pain it seemed was an inevitable element of this trial. After a struggle to lift his head he took in the world around him. Shadow changed and merged with light, moving in such a way that made him feel the room itself was alive. The walls were made of glass and wood, some shaped like doors, other's like windows. Some were glass walls with a square block of wood as its window. Sunlight shone through at all strange angles through certain windows and openings while orange and red candlelight gleamed through the ways of others. Jareth saw after a moment's concentration that the light never really was changing, only the walls and openings. They moved and turned traded places to deceive the unwise and hallways were broken open only to close away again.

"Good morning, did you sleep well?"

Jareth turned to face the woman. Her man was nearby, twirling a silver ornamented chain around his fingers.

"This is your final trial here, once, if ever completed you will be taken from Limbo, and the one who was sent for you and left in the safety of your kingdom. You will also never be trapped here again by any creature."

"Your task," The man said. "Is to find Sarah, or at least the image of her before the evil does."

"Doesn't much sound fair." Jareth said looking out at the seemingly vast disarray of spinning walls.

"Fair?" The man laughed. "You've spent far too much time with Sarah!"

The woman hushed him and turned to Jareth, the haunt of fear in her endless eyes. "Be cautious, and sometimes winning is not the meaning of the game." She said and the two began to walk away.

"Wait," Jareth called. "Who are you?"

The two shared an ageless glance and clasped hands. Jareth waited as a sigh escaped the woman's lips.

She said. "We have too many names."

"Osiris and Isis, Jupiter and Vesta, Cupid and Psyche, Mary and Joseph, Adam and Eve." The man said.

Jareth wasn't surprised. "Then which are your real names?" He asked.

The man faltered then laughed and declared in a voice of thunder. "They all are!"

The woman smiled.

"You have children?" Jareth asked. They were in al normality beginning to fade.

"Many." The man answered. "Though my wife has born many human children to the race of men."

"Yes," The woman sighed. "I've lived many mortal lives." She smiled, though it was sad. "The only daughter I ever had was the only child I lost."

"I'm sorry," Jareth called to her vanishing figure. "What was her name?"

To this the woman smiled and the dimple under her left eye made Jareth gasp in recognition. "Sarah and I have found her again."

Jareth's confusion was short-lived, his hollered questions unanswered and soon he was left alone in the hall of wonders and shadows.

"You can't mean it." Sarah said.

Irvus wouldn't meet her eyes. He thrust a hand toward the gate and it opened with a loud creak. She stared at it for a moment. Then she took a step toward the opening and saw the dark hallway that led to the field of dreams. She glanced toward Irvus. He was frowning sadly.

"Go." He commanded.

She hesitated.

"Go!"

She turned tail and sprinted into the darkness, stumbling and tripping until she finally met the light. She dove for the entry way and tumbled head first down into a freezing field of cold dew-covered grass. Her first instinct was to drag herself further and further from Hell until she finally collapsed a few yards away in the wet ground. She breathed deeply, in and out the fresh healthy air. The sky above her was filled with bright stars, the light of them so strong and beautiful that it stung her eyes. The color blue never looked so lovely before. She saw a muddy bank and river nearby and she ran for it, tripping on grass and blessed soft slippery ground. When she reached the bank she fell down into the mud. Rather then pull herself up she swam in it.

The mud soaked her dry parched skin, the rest of her shredded garments fell away and she crawled through the mud to the water. She shook with the cold, scrubbed her hair clear of dust and the smell of evil and sang to herself, loud and clear. She drank up the water and stretched. She fell asleep in the grass, naked and clean, uncaring who saw her, just happy. Happy to be out of Hell. Happy to know that soon she would get Jareth out of Limbo, maybe Sasha already rescued him and he was on his way to the field of dreams to meet her. She slept for a long time, rose with the coming of the next night and moon and found that someone had left a set of underclothes and a white dress with thin straps and a comfortable flowing skirt. With the clothes she found a letter. It read:

_ I have no power to take Jareth from Limbo. I know you sent a servant to rescue him. But since she is under the command of the kingdom of Hell, I am sorry to say she must return to Hell once her business is finished with you, despite what you promised her. With love,_

_ Irvus_

Unable to decide what to do at the moment, Sarah dressed and sent a prayer to god to keep them safe. She would apologize to Sasha if she could. She hoped she would be able to save her as well.

"I wish the goblins would come and take me away right now." She wished. She was in the Castle beyond the Goblin City before she had a moment to blink. She was in the throne room. Relaxing she went to curl up on the throne.

"Hello, Sarah dear." Sarah spun around. Standing by the window was a man and a woman. The woman looked amazingly like her mother. Not only looked like Linda. She was Linda.

"Mom?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, yes my darling." Linda held out her arms. "I'm so sorry baby, I should've told you."

Sarah didn't care. She ran to her mother and let her wrap her arms wrap lovingly around her.

Jareth took a step backward. He'd been dodging doors, tripping over glass he punched through and falling down short steps masked by shadow. He was nowhere near finding her and he could sense the haunt of something dark behind him, growing closer and closer. He didn't have much time.


	5. Chapter 5 Piece of Cake

Chapter 5: Piece of Cake

Sasha had just about lost all pieces of sanity she had in her. She'd long since given up on messing with the little men around her and eventually they grew even bored of her tail and all collapsed in little piles of snoring bodies around her own. Her tail had, to her surprise begun to shrink slightly, as if the spell that was cast over her was beginning to fade. Her whiskers were shortened, her ears less prominent and not so easy to move about. She had wondered if being in Limbo was causing the change, but she couldn't be certain. Many changes had occurred when she left Hell, even more she realized just as time away from that place passed. Her hair grew longer then ever, all down her back. The roundness and odd shaping of her bones was slowly trimming back, molded back to the way it used to be. Her memories were still yet to be regained, her thoughts of the past were scattered. Her name, her true name was the only thing that she could recall with ease, and she whispered it constantly while the little men slept, loving the sound of it in her voice.

"Radiance," She licked her lips. They were soft and warm. "I am Radiance Ashton." She heard a cry in her mind, a glorious outcry of joy. She knew her name.

He crashed into a wall and the glass broke under his weight. He tumbled into darkness before the room was lit again. He'd thought he'd glimpsed Sarah, a flickering white form. He'd dove for it, without seeing the glass wall in between them and the output was a bleeding forehead. Cursing he recoiled from an invisible hand touching him. The invisible touches had been following him all throughout the bloody maze of light and color. It was not a troubling hand, just annoying. He smacked at it crossly and dove again for a flicker of white he thought he spotted in the corner of his eye. But nothing was there.

This thought struck him. Nothing was there. She wasn't there. He couldn't save her. He sat down and rubbed his palms against his eyes, trying to rub the anger and the confusion out of them. He was so tired. So damned tired of all this…Hell. He snorted. He felt the hands rub against his leg softly. He looked up and saw…nothing. He cursed and stood.

"Sarah!" He yelled. He began his search again. He knew that nothing would stop him; he'd search for her until he died, and then continue as a specter. He owed her so much. And he was selfish. He wanted her all to himself and he had worked to deserve her. She loved him too. She loved him…

A new determination spread over him. He knew what to do and he would never stop; whatever it was the nameless couple wanted he would do it, bear the woe and ponder every grief. If it meant he could finally have her again, just love her, if only for a moment. He only had forever to challenge them, not long at all. A second of her in his arms would make it all worth it.

These thoughts were suddenly silenced when at last the white form was sold, just a glass wall was between them and she was not moving. He braced himself and crashed through the glass and opened his eyes to find the room he was in silent, cold and empty. Darkness surrounded him and he needed only to sigh to feel the compact walls around him. They had tricked him. He sensed their betrayal to him now. They had not been who they aid they were and there was no way he could escape. He punched and lunged at the walls around him but they bended like putty under his jabs and he was thrown back like a doll when he plunged at it. He screamed and cursed and fought angrily, bit at the play-do walls and screeched like a harpy.

Then finally he collapsed in defeat, broken and waned to near exhaustion. He lay on the floor and for the first time in many years cried. Real, salty warm tears fell down his face and wet the floor around him. He could finally name his emotion without doubt or hesitation. Misery. Complete and total misery. He had cried before, hapless tears that were only there as a prop to accentuate his emotion, he had squandered his real tears many times, only Sarah had seen briefly what his real sorrow was like. _Oh,_ _Sarah._ He felt a rippling wave of nausea spread over him, cold, unending. It filled him to the brim. This was worse then every other sorrow he'd ever known. It was worse then murder, then cheating, and then gambling with death and the devil. He had lost her.

"You've won!"

Jareth sat up, confused. Suddenly he was ripped from the darkness flying through colors and light and peace and mayhem until he found himself planted in his very own throne, somebody's arms wrapped around his neck, their tears warm on his skin.

Persephone heard a knock at her door. "Leave me alone, you miserable wretches!" She screamed and threw whatever she could snatch at the door. There was a pause, a silent one where she thought whoever had come had gone away and she would be at peace again. But this was not so.

"Your Majesty?" A voice, feminine and almost like a feline whispered delicately on the other side of the door.

Sasha.

"What do you want now child?" Persephone groaned. The door creaked open slowly and a small shadowed face peeped inward.

"I only have one request my lady," Sasha stepped out from the shadows and into the light.

"No!" The Queen sat up in bed, staring at the beautiful Fae girl before her. The cat-ears were gone, the tail was missing, and the roundness of a charming face replaced the feline's bone structure. Long sunshine-gold hair was draped over light shoulders and the dark cloak that hung over the girl was dropped to the ground, revealing the gorgeous nude body of Irvus's love.

"Say my name." Sasha whispered. Her voice was gentle though demanding and Persephone flinched at the sound of it.

"You couldn't have stopped it, my curses are unbreakable!" She screamed and shrunk down in her pillows.

The girl took a step toward her. "Say my name." The gentleness was slowly seeping away, replaced with uncontrollable anger.

"No…" The Queen bit her round lip 'til it bled.

"_Say my name!"_

"Radiance!" The Queen screamed in total defeat. "Radiance Ashton!"

Radiance smiled. "Yes, that's right your majesty. Thank you." The child-fae turned away and left the room, taking up the black mantle she had earlier dropped. The Queen lay defeated on the bed, breathing quickly, her anger diminishing as the slippery, soft sounds of her husband appearing could be heard.

The red-skinned devil crawled into the bed, his claws brushing her skin, calming her with the evil of his touch.

"She broke the spell." Persephone mumbled angrily, staring into the Devil's golden eyes.

The monster smiled gently and she could see the glint of his silver tongue. "Yes, my dear, but then… we knew one day she would do it."

"Of course," She answered. "Yet what of Sarah Williams? And her bastard Jareth?"

The Devil frowned. "Let's leave them be for the while, shall we? I feel so neglected; you don't love me at all." He kissed her neck repetitively.

The Queen smiled. "Oh, my demon, you know how much I loathe you."

"And I you."


	6. Chapter 6 Chilly Down

Chapter 6: Chilly Down

Jareth could hardly breathe, the smell in the air was that of chickens and unwashed goblins, but the soft scent of Sarah was filling his nostrils, overtaking the stench of the castle. He opened his eyes which had been until that point unwilling to ever open again. Before he could take in the sight of Sarah, _his_ Sarah, clothed richly in a midnight blue gown, kneeling on his lap, her dark hair hanging slightly wavy all down her back and laced with silvery ornaments she was kissing his face, his chin and nose and eyes. He kissed her back, just as violently, just as longingly as she did, tasting her skin on his mouth, her sprinkling tears on his lips. An eruption of cries, peals of joy and thunderous applause came from all around them. The hoots of delight from Hoggle, the chirps and squeaky quips of laughter from Sir Dydimus, the low childlike howls from Ludo and the ever snapping dry giggles and screeches from the goblins. But the reunited couple didn't stay very long to see the crowd; they vanished quite suddenly and without a word. Alone in the bedchambers they collapsed on the bed, exhaustion overcoming them even as the joy filled their hearts.

Sarah was the first to speak. "Jareth…I feel I should tell you what happened in Hell."

"No." His answer was firm and to the point he would not hear what she had to say. He never wanted to know what had happened there.

Sarah closed her eyes, knowing an argument would only exhaust her more and she had only been out of Hell for a day and a half. She hadn't even slept yet. Jareth was tired as well and for a while they slept undisturbed. But Sarah woke many hours later with the feeling that they were no longer alone. Rising from the warmth and sleep and dreams she stood and peered toward the balcony. There standing in the moonlight was her mother Linda. A glorified version of her mother anyway, taller, grander, but most definitely her mother.

"Hello, little one," She said and waved to Sarah who jumped, then dashed forward to embrace her mother, knowing it was for the last time.

"Remember what I told you," She said and Sarah nodded against her shoulder.

"No cookies before bed."

"What I recently told you." Linda corrected.

Giggling Sarah nodded again then looked up at her mother. Her Fae mother, not even Fae, her immortal, goddess of a mother. This made her half-goddess in a way of speaking. Sarah grinned and said. "Does this mean I'll live forever?"

"I already told you it does." Linda said.

"I know, but… I won't have any powers will I?"

"Only the powers the king gave you." Linda said. "And the powers of being a woman."

"Those come easily though," Sarah laughed half-heartedly. "And I still feel that somehow I have more to give to this world then just the gifts Jareth gave me, like I have my own magic."

"You do, darling, you just haven't discovered it yet." Linda's form was beginning to fade and Sarah let go of her as she glittered and moved away into the moonlight. Some things would never be explained, some things would never be known. But right then Sarah didn't care about all that. She was a survivor of Hell, the fiancée of the Goblin King and the next Queen of Underground. She had an entire immortal life ahead of her to watch the world grow and change, both worlds change. Maybe one day they could come together. She thought of Toby then, being a mortal, and almost started to cry. But then the realization came to her that for as long as Toby lived she could be a big sister to him, love his children and grandchildren and great grand children. Then another thought sprung up from the darkness of her mind. What of her own children? How many would she be able to bear and in how many years? But this thought was not a worried one; it was joyful and full of the future.

A creak and the sound of shifting from within signaled Jareth's being roused, maybe by the cold of her being gone or the knowledge in him that was sub-conscious and strange. He knew things she just didn't know instantaneously and for that she would be forever grumbling.

"Why are you out of bed?" He mumbled sleepily. Sarah turned to face him and smiled.

"I was only saying goodbye to a few certain things."

"Aboveground things?" He sounded sad and cautious.

She shook her head. "Personal things, internal arguments, and ideas that never became real and such."

"You are so strange." He said and put his arms around her.

"I know." She said happily. She _was _strange, but strange people usually had the best of lives. She snuggled in closer to the king, _her_ king and pondered quietly over the life she would have one day. One day soon, she would be married, be a queen and maybe someday a mother…

Irvus stood alone in the garden of bleeding lilies, the first place he had ever spoken to Radiance Ashton. It was a lonely garden, a cold one where the little red flowers wept in solitary sorrow, their roots poisoned by Hell. As sad as they were he'd always thought those flowers were exceptionally lovely, exotic and simple all at once. With their white as the moon petals and dripping red pollen and black stem there was a dark charm about them. Radiance had loved them too. In fact she had strung them in her hair that evening, while they happened upon each other. They'd both been avoiding a party in the Palace and both went to that garden to seek solitude.

Radiance had bundled the delicate lilies in her hair, their leaking pollen, blood, staining her long blonde hair. Irvus had never seen a more elegant and beautiful Fae youth before, but it was not her beauty that had taken him so. It was her angelic manner. She was a saint. In Hell you never really came upon a soul who was truly kind and here was the girl, this child, braiding her hair with the flowers of the dead, singing a little ditty to amuse herself. It was all too heavenly.

Now, only the ghost of his memories was there to remind him of that night. Not that it really mattered, he never had been able to find her soul, and therefore she couldn't have had one. This was his only release from insanity.

"Milord? Your mother sent me." The gentle hissing voice of his mother's cat-maid Sasha came from the garden gate. Irvus turned to look at her and frowned. She was hooded, her face shadowed and invisible to his eye. He noticed a slight change in the way she stood, as though the curve of her bones was straightened out and the fine, graceful body had grown into something more Fae-like. It was all a subtle difference yet it sparked curiosity in Irvus.

"What did my mother want?" He asked, peering at her with a cocked eyebrow.

"She would not explain something to me and said that to be answered properly I would need to address my questions to you."

"And what is it you need explained, Sasha?"

"I once served a family, my parents worked as food servers and brought me along on a trip to a Fae's Party," She said plainly. "I made friends with the Fae's daughter, and we were companions for a many number of years until… until my circumstances changed."

"How is this related to me?" He was getting agitated; something about Sasha always made him sweat, as though his body were reacting to an unconscious recognition. He hated thinking he'd done something to harm her, for the guilt of it, though he would not exactly remember would come back in many forms of symptoms. It always happened, as the son of the Devil you just didn't remember who you harmed only your body knows it.

Sasha took a step toward him, her face still concealed in darkness. "I want to know what happened to her…my friend."

"How should I know?"

"Your mother said she was your lover." It was not a question, but a statement.

There was pride in her voice.

Irvus breathed a slow shaking breath.

Sasha stepped toward him and he sat down on the stone bench. Unperturbed Sasha approached and deliberately held the cloak hood close to her face and whispered to him.

"What happened to her?"

He swallowed hard.

"What happened… to Radiance Ashton?"

Irvus was enraged. He grasped her by the shoulders and shook the serving cat, screaming. "Don't! Don't say her name! I should've died in her place! I should've been able to save her!" He tossed the creature down on the cobble stones and turned away so he was facing the red sun in the sky.

"Irvus…my love."

He stopped and inside him the cold heart shook. He turned slowly to face her. The cloak had fallen open. She was lying in the folds of it; her pale flesh rosy in the Hell-light, her blonde hair draped over her chest to conceal her breasts was pink. Her eyes were huge, gold-green and full of twinkling tears.

He fell to his knees.

She turned her head to the side. "Irvus," Her voice was quivering, she hitched a hard breath. "You do not think that I would eve leave you?"

His face was contorted, his expression agonized and still he held up a hand to touch her cheek gently with rough fingers. "You, you are not real," He said. "You died… you died…."

"I lived. I was changed. And I am alive now." She said and caught up his hand in both of hers to bring to her mouth.

"No… no don't!" He was crying now, bloody tears dripping down his face. "When this vision ends it will hurt too much."

She kissed his hand. "I am no vision." It was then that she pulled him forward and he moved without protest and she kissed him.

Above them the red sun turned black, the Forever Evil was silent for a moment and something changed. The Evil turned from silver to gold.


	7. Chapter 7 In the Oubliette

Chapter 7: In the Oubliette

"Their wedding is coming, three evenings." Persephone looked to her husband's daughter, her expression hateful, yet full of yearning. Morta had her arms folded over her chest, as old as she was she never failed to appear more like a teenager then any other Immortal living. In Persephone's mind, her step child was a right bitch.

"Yes, and what do you want me to do about it?" She peered out from her dark robe, her bright eyes glowing.

"What you were born to do."

Death left, leaving dusty trails of filmy smoke behind her. Persephone sneered at the scent, rancid in her opinion. It smelled like mortals and sugar and ginger cookies. An odd smell for Death, but one the Immortal preferred to all other smells. She figured it better to smell sweet, for death was not a sweet thing. The Devil Queen hated it and was happy to have the girl leave. But she was most happy about the girl's new purpose and the deals they had struck.

"Soon," She whispered to herself. "It will be the darkest day in Hell… poor little Sarah, all alone without her king."

_Morta. She was/is/will always be the great and terrible death. The queen of souls, the messenger of passing._ She smiled at the thought of her many titles and cursed the fools who ever thought death was male. No, only a woman would be able to handle souls, and transporting them was not exactly an easy job. There was of course the matter of keeping them organized, making sure they followed where she told them to, and occasionally having to go back for the strays that did not make a formal request to take a haunting job. Haunting ghosts were not her friends, they ignored her after their requests were granted and refused to speak to her, for fear of being taken Beyond by force. _Beyond._ She smiled again, only briefly because smiles were uncomfortable on her face. She loved walking the Beyond with her souls. That world was perfect, a garden of insanities, confusions and nonsensical tid-bits of life and merriment. She could remember one girl who had the power to come to the Beyond in her dreams…some little child named Alice Linden. Alice _Hatter_, Morta had to correct herself, for the girl had grown to fifteen before dying from scarlet fever and living upon permission in the Beyond. There she married a mad man by the name of Hatter-something-whatever and lived there to this day. In the Beyond were five doors. One led to the Field of Dreams, the next to the Field of Stars and the next Limbo. The first of the other two led to Aboveground and the last of all doors led to Underground. Morta and her dead souls were the only ones to use the doors, except maybe a stray angel or demon. She rarely used the door to Underground, seeing as Immortals lived forever, but on this particular day she had to. She carefully moved the sleeve from her night-cloak from her arm and read the marks on her skin: Jareth. She frowned, again only a brief frown because expressions hurt. Time to kill the Goblin King.

"Ah!" Sarah tumbled out of bed, trying to run, not sure where she was running but knowing she had to run. All around her she could see dark shape, figures of people, monsters. The room around her was silent save the sounds of her own screaming. She bit at a hand that reached for her, snapping at it angrily and shrieking like a banshee. She finally managed to escape and she bolted like a mad animal into the darkness. Then she realized that she had nowhere to run anymore, she couldn't see and she couldn't hear. All around her was nothingness.

"Sarah!" Jareth had his arm wrapped under Sarah's chest around her ribs, holding her to him while she squirmed and screamed trying to break free of him. Her nightgown was soaked in a cold sweat and her tangled hair was curling with it. Her eyes were open but doomed to the blindness of her nightmare and she could not see.

He wrestled her downward on the bed and stretched his tall body the length of hers to force her to remain still. "Sarah, precious, please!" He tried to stroke her hair, rub her back to calm her, but she screamed until her throat ran dry and then finally silenced.

"Sarah?" He asked.

She shook beneath him.

"Sarah." His voice was much firmer.

She gasped and her breathing changed. Something inside him broke a little when she turned her head to look at him and her expression was so lost.

"Oh, Sarah." He sighed and cradled her in his arms while she began to cry softly. _Like an angel_, he thought, _she cries like a fallen star_. "Everything is alright." He tried to comfort her.

"No," Her raspy whisper was empty and dry. "No, no, something bad is going to happen, something real bad. I can feel it, good god!" She curled her hands to fists and growled in exasperation.

Her ferocity took him by surprise, but then reminded him of something. "Do you think it was only a nightmare darling?" Knowing Sarah with her wild imagination she could confuse things. He didn't doubt her intelligence, just her confidence with what was real. He himself had trouble knowing what truth was and what farce was. And ever since Sarah had first kissed him he _really_ wasn't sure if he was only living a dream.

When he met Sarah's eyes they were glowing almost feverishly. Her whisper was soft; hardly a sound at all and it sent an icy fear through him like nothing he had ever felt before.

"There is someone in the room."

**OOOoooHhhhh! Bet no one thought this story would have a third part right? Well, I hope you all enjoyed **_**Persephone's Dreamscape.**_** I had a great time writing it and all my reviews were helpful and kind. Love you all! Thank you for being so loyal! The next segment for Hell's Fire will be coming soon, so stay tuned for **_**Hell's Fire Part Three: Burning Nightmares**_


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